Anti-idling system for ambulances and other vehicles

ABSTRACT

The Anti-idling System for Ambulances and Other Vehicles is a novel system for making electricity available to vehicles which idle curbside in urban and suburban environments. The invention comprises a pedestal with a specialized electricity plug, a cord and cord reel, an onboard microcontroller with GSM and RFID card reader which controls the flow of electricity and communicates with a cloud-based management system, and a cloud-based management system which controls user authentication. This enables an ambulance or other vehicle operator to approach the pedestal, access the plug and cord and turn on the flow of electricity using an RFID card or mobile phone, and use the pedestal to power their vehicle while in proximity to the pedestal. When the vehicle engine is started, the system detects the auto-ejection of the plug from the vehicle, turns off the flow of electricity, and automatically retracts the plug and cord into the pedestal.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not Applicable

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable

REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING, A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTINGCOMPACT DISC APPENDIX

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present disclosure generally relates to devices for deployinganti-idling technology using grid electricity in public spaces. Thereare many kinds of vehicles which would benefit from having access togrid electricity in public spaces. In particular, ambulances must idlein public spaces, sometimes for up to 14 hours per day while waiting foremergency calls, in order to keep their medicine refrigerated, theiron-board electronics operable, their HVAC systems running, and theirbatteries operational. In doing so, these vehicles burn up to 1 gallonof diesel fuel per hour and put as many as 25 miles of wear on theirengines per hour.

While electricity charging stations have been in place for a number ofyears for the charging of electric vehicles, and these devices may besuitable for the particular purpose which they address, they are notsuitable for eliminating the idling of ambulances or other vehicles.Such charging stations are used to recharge a battery which resides inan electric vehicle. They are not designed to be used for anti-idlingmeasures, and they do not provide a method for the automated refractionand securing of the electrification plug and cord when the vehicle hasto depart.

In these respects, the anti-idling system for ambulances and othervehicles according to the present invention substantially departs fromthe conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in doing soit provides an apparatus primarily developed to securely and safelyeliminate the idling of ambulances and other vehicles.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types ofelectricity charging stations in the prior art, the present inventionprovides a model uniquely suited to the kinds of vehicles which willaccess it. The general purpose of the present invention, which will bedescribed subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a newanti-idling system that has many of the advantages of theelectrification systems mentioned heretofore and many novel featuresthat result in a new system which is not anticipated, rendered obvious,suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art electricity chargingsystems, either alone or in any combination thereof.

To attain this, the present invention generally comprises a pedestalwith a specialized electricity plug, a cord and cord reel, an onboardmicrocontroller with GSM and RFID card reader which controls the flow ofelectricity and communicates with a cloud-based management system, and acloud-based management system which controls user authentication. Thisenables an ambulance or other vehicle operator to approach the pedestal,access the plug and cord and turn on the flow of electricity using anRFID card or mobile phone, and use the pedestal to power their vehiclewhile in proximity to the pedestal. When the vehicle engine is started,the system detects the auto-ejection of the plug from the vehicle, turnsoff the flow of electricity, and automatically retracts the plug andcord into the pedestal.

There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more importantfeatures of the invention such that the detailed description thereof maybe better understood and in order that the present contribution to theart may be better appreciated. There are additional features of theinvention that will be described hereinafter which will form the subjectmatter of the claims appended hereto.

In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of theinvention in detail, it is important to understand that the invention isnot limited in its application to ambulances or to the arrangements ofthe components set forth in the following description or illustrated inthe drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of beingpracticed and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understoodthat the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purposeof the description and should not be regarded as limiting.

A primary object of the present invention is to provide an anti-idlingsystem that will overcome the shortcomings of the prior art devices. Asecond object is to provide an electrification system which willsignificantly reduce the urban air pollution created by the targetcustomers. A third object is to provide a secure method to access theplug and cord. A fourth object is to provide a management system whichcontrols the flow of electricity from the pedestal. A fifth object is toprovide a security capability which limits the risk of theft, vandalismto, or injury from the electrification plug and cord. A sixth objectiveis to provide an anti-idling system in a public space.

The details of one or more embodiments of the invention are set forth inthe accompanying drawings and descriptions below. As to theaccomplishment of the above and related objects, this invention may beembodied in the form illustrated in the accompanying drawings, whilenoting that the drawings are illustrative only and that changes may bemade in the specific construction illustrated and described within thescope of the appended claims. The foregoing summary is not intended tosummarize each potential embodiment or every aspect of the disclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

The foregoing summary, preferred embodiments, and other aspects of thesubject matter of the present disclosure will be best understood withreference to a detailed description of specific embodiments. Variousother objects, features, and attendant advantages of the presentinvention will become fully apparent and better understood whenconsidered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which likereference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout theseveral views, and wherein:

FIG. 1A is a front view of the electro mechanical pedestal with the doorclosed.

FIG. 1B is a front view of the electro mechanical pedestal with the dooropen.

FIG. 1C is a side view of the electro mechanical pedestal.

FIG. 1D is a top isolated view of the electro mechanical pedestalshowing the electronics.

FIG. 1E is a full see through side view of the electro mechanicalpedestal.

FIG. 1F is an illustration of the electro mechanical door mechanism.

FIG. 2A is an isolated view of the tube cover pedestal with the plugoutside.

FIG. 2B is an isolated view of the tube cover pedestal with the tuberetracted and the plug outside.

FIG. 2C is a side view of the tube cover pedestal with the tube extendedand the plug retracted.

FIG. 3A is a side view of the spring loaded door pedestal with the plugoutside.

FIG. 3B is see through side view of the spring loaded door pedestal withthe door closed and the plug inside.

FIG. 3C is a side view of the spring loaded door pedestal with the plugoutside.

FIG. 3D is a side isolated view of the spring loaded door pedestal withthe door closed and plug inside.

FIG. 4 is a view of the pedestal, paramedic, and ambulance

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Turning now descriptively to the drawings, in which similar referencecharacters denote similar elements throughout the several views,disclosed is a pedestal which provides anti-idling measures tovehicles[41] via a cord[7] and plug[8] using grid electricity. Variousfunctions of the pedestal can be performed via different methods.

One function of the pedestal is authentication which can be accomplishedvia three different methods. For all methods of authentication,registered users and their respective information will be stored in amaster online database on a remote server. Updates to the database willbe pushed out to the pedestals and stored locally. This server has theability to connect and manage all pedestals within the database. Theserver can communicate with the pedestals via mobile data or SMS. Thepedestals report and interact with the server on a regular schedule.However, the pedestals can also be forced to update through a managementpanel on the remote server.

The first method of authentication is via an SMS text message or mobileapp. The user will text a command, and their phone number will beverified against the online database. In this method, the SMS commandgets sent directly to a remote server which then forwards the command tothe pedestal after authentication. A second method of authentication isvia an RFID tag[12] distributed to authorized users. The user swipestheir RFID tag[12] against the pedestal and the pedestal then checks alocal database for authentication. Once authenticated, the pedestaltransmits usage data to the remote server. A third method ofauthentication is via a fingerprint reader[27]. Fingerprint informationis stored locally and updated via the remote server. A user swipes aregistered finger and the pedestal checks the fingerprint against thelocal database. Once authenticated the pedestal transmits usage data tothe remote server.

Another function of the pedestal is a door[4] or protective mechanismwhich protects the plug[8] and cord[7] from theft and vandalism. Onesuch embodiment is a swinging spring lock door[30]. The door[30], onceit has been unlocked by the controller, is pushed open by the user andswings inward against a lightly spring-loaded hinge[31]. The user pullsthe plug[8] out of the enclosure and lets go of the door[4] which thenswings back and rests on the cord[7] with light, spring-loaded pressure.When the cord[7] retracts after use, as discussed below, it pushes thedoor[4] up on its hinge as the plug[8] passes into the enclosure. Thedoor[30] is then free to swing back down and the controller locks itinto place.

A second embodiment is an electromechanical door[4] which slides up anddown on rails[3]. In this embodiment, the user authentication wouldactivate a lead screw motor[1] which opens the door[4]. This samemotor[1] closes the door[4] once the plug[8] and cord[7] are retractedafter use. There is an one or more IR sensor(s)[5] which detects whetheran obstruction is blocking the sliding action of the door[4].

A third embodiment is a protective, actuated tube covering the plug[8]and cord[7], making them inaccessible without authentication. When auser authenticates, the protective tube[33] retracts back into thepedestal, thereby allowing the user to access the plug[8]. When the useris finished and the plug[8] is retracted to its resting position, theprotective tube[33] slides back over the plug[8], thereby making itinaccessible to non-authenticated users.

Another function of the pedestal is cord[7] retraction which protectsthe plug[8] and cord[7] from theft and vandalism. One method ofretraction is through the use of a motorized, uni-directional cordreel[10]. The plug[8] is grabbed by the user and pulled out freely to adesired length. When the cord[7] needs to be refracted, the motor[1]activates and retracts the cord[7] until it triggers a kill switch[26],turning off the motor[1]. A gearing mechanism allows the motor[1] tohave influence only when the cord[7] needs to be retracted.

A second method of retraction is through the use of a spring loaded cordreel. The cord[7] is pulled out manually and locked at the desiredlength automatically by a ratcheting gear[35]. In order to retract thecord[7], an electronic solenoid[34] releases the locked gear[35] andallows the stored energy in the spring[39] to reel the cord[7] back in.

While not a specific function of the pedestal, there are two methods bywhich the plug[8] can be ejected from the charging vehicle[41]. Onemethod of ejection is via an automatic ejection outlet[40] mounted onthe vehicle[41]. A second method is via manual removal where the userunplugs the cord[7] from the vehicle[41].

When a user is ready to activate the pedestal, the user goes through oneof the methods of authentication described above. Once the user isauthenticated, the cord[7] is made available to the user via one of themethods of door[4] control described above. The user can then pull thecord[7] out to a desired length and attach it to the vehicle[41]. Theuser then goes through one of the methods of authentication a secondtime which tells the pedestal to activate the power cord[7]. The secondauthentication needs to occur within a predetermined time frame and thetime frame can be adjusted based on use case by a technician remotely.If the user does not go through authentication a second time within thedescribed time frame, the pedestal goes through a method of retractionand door[4] control into an idle state. If the user does go through amethod of authentication a second time within the described time frame,the contactor is activated by the relay[29] and power is supplied to thevehicle[41]. When the user is finished using the electricity, thecord[7] is removed from the vehicle[41] via one of the methods ofejection described above. The pedestal then detects that there is nocurrent running through the cord[7] and shuts of power going to thecord[7] with a relay[29]. The pedestal then retracts the cord[7] via oneof the methods of retraction and door[4] control described above.

The pedestal incorporates a variety of components to complete theactions described above. The main control system for the pedestal is aMicrocontroller[16] computer board. The board uses code such as Python,Java, etc. as a method for executing commands. The Microcontroller[16]is directly connected to a custom printed PCB[22] that allows it tointerface with all of the sensors and control units. This includescircuits for a relay array, USB Hub[21] with independent 5V PowerSupply, and connections for sensor switches.

A set of relays[29] connected to the main custom PCB[22] acts as aswitch for some of the components mounted in the pedestal. Therelays[29] are able to turn the contactor coil on or off, therebycontrolling the outlets. The relays[29] are also able to reset the 3GGSM[13] card if needed. A contactor[14] is in place to control the flowof electricity to the outlet. The contactor[14] is activated by therelay board when the outlets are meant to be on and deactivated when theoutlets are meant to be off. There is one meter[15] that is monitoringthe energy flow in the outlet power cord[7]. This is connected to thePCB[22] and reports electricity usage via pulses. There is a CurrentClamp[28] that surrounds the live line going to the cord reel[10] powerinput. This current clamp[28] is connected directly to the an input onthe PCB [22] which tells the code such as Python, Java, etc. when thereis current draw in the line. The 3G wireless modem is connected throughthe USB Hub[21] on the PCB board[22] which is then connected directly tothe USB Hub[21] on the Microcontroller[16] board. The 3G Modem[37] canbe reset via the relay board if necessary. The 3G Modem[37] is used intwo ways. First, it can send and receive SMS messages and commands toand from the server. Second, it can open a GSM Data connection forretrieving remote files and communicating with the server.

Another component can be a front facing camera[19] mounted on allpedestals. This is connected to the Microcontroller[16] and used for alive video feed for troubleshooting to the management panel on theremote server.

There are four sensor switches connected to the PCB board[22]. All fourare configured to be normally closed when decompressed. The first set oftwo of the switches are only available if the method of door control iselectro-mechanical door[4] or actuated tube[33] methods. One of the twoswitches[24] is for monitoring when the door control method is in itsopen state. The second switch[23] is for monitoring when the door methodstate is in the closed position. The second set of two sensor[38]switches is for detecting when the cord[7] and plug[8] are fullyretracted. These two switches perform the same function and are in placefor redundancy. These switches are connected to inputs on the PCB[22]and monitored by a program such as Python, Java, etc. running on theMicrocontroller[16]. When the switches are compressed, the program knowsthat the cord[7] has been fully retracted. This configuration is for allmethods of retraction.

There are two kill switches[25,26] that cut the power supply for thecord reel motor[36]. The kill switches are normally closed whendecompressed. The switches[25,26] are mounted on the first set of cordreel rollers[9] and are compressed when the cord[7] and plug[8] arefully retracted. These switches[25,26] are wired in series such that ifone is tripped, the circuit is opened and no energy can flow to the cordreel motor[36]. This configuration is only in place for theelectro-mechanical door[1] method of door control.

The RFID reader[12] is connected through the USB hub[21] mounted on thePCB[22]. This will read RFID tags used for one of the methods ofauthentication. The RFID reader[12] is mounted against the front facingsheet metal behind a frosted plexiglass port[11]. The plexiglassport[11] will allow for better RFID Radio Reception. The RFID Reader[12]is only in place for the RFID Method of authentication.

The fingerprint reader[27] is connected through the USB hub[21] mountedon the PCB[22]. The fingerprint reader[27] is mounted through a cutoutin the front facing sheet metal and is directly exposed for userinteraction. The fingerprint reader[27] is only in place for thefingerprint method of authentication.

The hall effect sensor[32] monitors the position of the spring loadeddoor[30] in the spring loaded door method only. It is mountedperpendicular to the front panel on the lower left corner of the accessbox[6]. There is a small magnet[42] mounted on the bottom left corner ofthe spring loaded door[30]. The hall effect sensor[32] will detect themagnetic field of the magnet[42] and notify the program such as Python,Java, etc. that the door has been fully closed.

The IR sensor(s)[5] is used to detect debris that may have been placedinto the access box[6] and access box panel[2] during operation. In thecase of debris in the access box[6], a burst of compressed air from anair tank[18] flows into the access box through a nozzle[17]. The burstof air is controlled by a solenoid[20] that is activated when the IRsensor(s)[5] detects debris. The IR sensor(s)[5] also detects thepresence of a user's hand and will prevent the door[4] and cord reel[10]from activating for safety reasons. Once the IR sensor(s)[5] detectsthat nothing is in the path of the door[4,30], the door[4,30] closes.The IR Sensor(s)[5] is only present in the electro-mechanical door[4]and spring loaded door methods[30].

As to a further discussion of the manner of usage and operation of thepresent invention, the same should be apparent from the abovedescription. Accordingly, no further discussion relating to the mannerof usage and operation will be provided. With respect to the abovedescription, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensionalrelationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations insize, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assemblyand use, are deemed to be within the expertise of those skilled in theart, and all equivalent structural variations and relationships to thoseillustrated in the drawings and described in the specification areintended to be encompassed by the present invention.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of theprinciples of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications andchanges will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is notdesired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operationshown and described. Accordingly, all suitable modifications andequivalents may be resorted to falling within the scope of theinvention. The foregoing description of preferred and other embodimentsis not intended to limit or restrict the scope or applicability of theinventive concepts conceived of by the applicants.

1-13. (canceled)
 14. An anti-idling system for vehicles, comprising: acord having a first end comprising a specialized electrical plug and asecond end configured for connection to an electric source; a cord reelconfigured to receive the cord; a pedestal configured to house the cordand the cord reel, said pedestal including a sliding door; and asecurity mechanism including at least a processor having instructionsoperating thereon configured to cause the processor to determine whethera user is one of a plurality of authorized users; wherein: the slidingdoor is configured to provide access to the specialized plug; and thesliding door is configured to be closed until the security mechanismdetermines that the user is one of the plurality of authorized users.15. The system of claim 14, wherein the security mechanism is furtherconfigured to prevent the flow of electricity from the electric sourceto the specialized plug until the user is determined to be one of aplurality of authorized users.
 16. The system of claim 14, wherein saidsecurity mechanism is configured on the pedestal.
 17. The system ofclaim 15, wherein the security mechanism includes at least one of: anRFID reader and a fingerprint reader.
 18. The system of claim 14,wherein said security mechanism is remote to the pedestal.
 19. Thesystem of claim 18, wherein said security mechanism determines that theuser is one of the plurality of authorized users using at least one of:a mobile application and a text message.
 20. The system of claim 14,further comprising an IR sensor configured proximate to the slidingdoor, said IR sensor configured to determine when there is anobstruction blocking operation of the sliding door.
 21. The system ofclaim 20, further comprising a container of compressed air, and when anobstruction is detected by the IR sensor, a burst of air is released bythe container of compressed air.
 22. The system of claim 14, wherein thecord reel is configured to retract the cord when the specialized plug isnot in use.
 23. The system of claim 22, wherein the sliding doorautomatically closes when the cord is retracted.
 24. The system of claim23, further comprising a detector configured to detect when the cord hasbeen fully retracted, said detector configured to determine when thereis an obstruction blocking operation of the sliding door.
 25. The systemof claim 24, wherein: when there is an obstruction blocking theoperation of the sliding door, the detector sends a signal to thesecurity mechanism to prevent the flow of electricity from theelectrical source to the specialized plug.
 26. The system of claim 14,wherein the sliding door is an electromechanical sliding door.
 27. Thesystem of claim 14, wherein the specialized electrical plug isconfigured to provide electricity to a vehicle.
 28. The system of claim27, further comprising a detector to determine that an engine of thevehicle has started, and wherein the specialized electrical plug isretracted when the detector determines that the engine has started. 29.The system of claim 14, wherein a list of users corresponding to theplurality of authorized users is updated via a remote server.
 30. Thesystem of claim 14, wherein the sliding door slides on at least onerail.
 31. The system of claim 14, further comprising a lead screw motorconfigured to open and close the sliding door.
 32. The system of claim14, wherein the cord reel is configured to allow an authorized user topull the cord to a desired length.
 33. The system of claim 14, whereinthe cord reel is motorized.
 34. The system of claim 33, wherein the cordreel is a motorized, unidirectional cord reel configured to: allow anauthorized user to pull the cord to a desired length, and retract thecord using the motor.
 35. The system of claim 14, wherein the cord reelis spring loaded.
 36. The system of claim 35, further comprising aratcheting gear configured to lock the cord at a desired length, andwherein when the ratcheting gear is released, the energy stored in thespring retracts the cord.
 37. The system of claim 14, further comprisinga second security mechanism including at least a processor havinginstructions operating thereon configured to cause the processor todetermine whether a user is one of a plurality of authorized users; andwherein: the second security mechanism is operable when the firstsecurity mechanism has determined that the user is one of the pluralityof authorized users and the sliding door has provided access to thespecialized plug; and when the second security mechanism confirms thatthe user is one of the plurality of authorized users, flow ofelectricity from the electric source to the specialized plug isactivated; and when the second security mechanism does not confirm thatthe user is one of the plurality of authorized users, the flow ofelectricity is not activated.
 38. The system of claim 37, wherein whenthe flow of electricity is not activated, the cord reel retracts thecord.
 39. The system of claim 37, further comprising a contactorconfigured to control the flow of electricity from the electric sourceto the specialized plug.
 40. The system of claim 14, further comprisingat least one of: a sensor configured to determine when the sliding dooris open, a sensor configured to detect when the cord is fully retracted,and a sensor configured to detect when the specialized plug is fullyretracted.
 41. The system of claim 14, further comprising at least onekill switch configured to compress when the cord and plug are wrappedaround the cord reel, wherein compression of the at least one killswitch prevents electricity from flowing to the specialized electricalplug.
 42. The system of claim 14, further comprising a detectorconfigured to determine when current is running through the cord. 43.The system of claim 42, wherein when the detector determines thatcurrent has stopped running through the cord, the specialized electricplug is retracted.